Vanillekipferln (Vanilla Crescent Cookies)

This recipe has been posted in response to a request for an Austrian dish. It came from Saveur magazine's December 2003 issue. Prep time includes chilling time for dough.

• Ready In: 1 hr 29 mins
• Yields: 48-54 Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 1⁄4 cups flour
• 2  cups confectioners' sugar
• 1⁄2 cup  blanched almond, finely ground
• 3 (9 g) packets  vanilla sugar
• 1  pinch salt
• 1⁄2 lb  cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1⁄4 teaspoon  lemon extract
• 1  tablespoon milk

Directions

1. Combine flour, 3/4 cup of the confectioners' sugar, almonds, 2 of the vanilla sugar packets, and salt on a clean surface, shape into a mound, then make a well in the center.
2. Add butter and lemon extract to well.
3. Using your fingers, work flour-nut mixture into butter until dough resembles coarse meal.
4. Sprinkle milk over dough, knead until smooth, and shape into a ball.
5. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
7. Sift remaining confectioners' sugar and vanilla sugar into a medium bowl and set aside.
8. Divide dough into 16 equal pieces.
9. Using your hands, roll each piece of dough out on a clean surface into 3/4 inch thick ropes.
10. Cut ropes crosswise into 2-1/2 inch pieces, then gently pinch ends to round off edges.
11. Shape pieces of dough into small crescents and transfer to parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
12. Bake until goiden around edges, 12-14 minutes.
13. Allow cookies to cool for 1 minute then transfer a few at a time to bowl of sugar and coat well.
14. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool completely.
15. Cookies may be stored in airtight containers for up to 1 week.